Science fiction

Science fiction was a story-telling medium or genre in which a quasi-scientific background was often intricate to the fiction itself. Science fiction continued to be a form of entertainment in the 24th century.

Some notable developments of Earth science were predicted by fiction writers in earlier centuries, such as space travel and time travel.

Star Trek itself is considered science fiction. The milieu of Star Trek has often been a predictor of technological trends, and has been studied by modern engineers looking for new applications for designs. The biobed from TOS became a reality a few decades after being shown when medical sensors were added to hospital beds and computer readouts, and the layout of the bridge has been studied by the military for use as an actual command center.

When asked about what would pass for science fiction in the 24th century, Ronald D. Moore replied:

"It's a notion that's come up from time to time in our discussions. The problem is that we're already pushing the envelope of what's scientifically believable in the 24th century. Trying to come up with what these characters would dream of in their own science fiction constructs is extremely difficult if not impossible." (AOL chat,1997)

The term "science fiction" is often reduced to the nickname "sci-fi" or abbreviation "SF".